This invention relates generally to door and entryway systems and more particularly to threshold and sill assemblies for such systems.
Entryways in modern residential and commercial buildings generally are provided with an extruded aluminum threshold and sill assembly that defines an upwardly open channel extending across the threshold, and a sill that slopes outwardly and downwardly from the channel to an outside edge of the assembly. The channel is configured to support a variety of interchangeable components including, but not limited to, a vertically adjustable threshold cap for underlying a closed door of the entryway, a fixed panel cap for underlying and supporting a sidelight panel or fixed door, or an outswing cap for abutting and sealing against an outswing door mounted in the entryway. Many times, these components are formed of extruded plastic, although they may be formed of wood, metal, or another material if desired. Such threshold and sill assemblies have been very successful and have virtually replaced old fashion wooden or simple metal thresholds.
Another trend in modern construction is for the walls of certain buildings to be made thicker than has been traditional over the years. This is done for a variety of reasons including to accommodate thicker bats of insulation for providing the highest possible R-value for the building as a whole. Generally, forming thicker walls is accomplished by replacing traditional 2xc3x974-inch framing studs with wider studs such as, for example, 2xc3x976-inch studs. Insulation value can also be added by installing one-inch sheets of insulating material such as expanded foam on the exterior portion of the building underlying the external siding. It can thus be seen that the wall thickness in modern buildings can vary depending upon the thickness of the framing studs and/or the use of additional layers of insulating material. Naturally, buildings with thicker walls have entryways that are deeper in a direction from the outside wall to the inside wall of the building than the entryways of buildings with standard width walls. Further, traditional 2xc3x974-inch framing and insulating techniques are still widely used, especially in milder climates where added insulation is not needed, such that standard width entryways are very common as well.
The varying possible thickness of walls and correspondingly varying depths of entryways has given rise to the need for threshold and sill assemblies of various widths to match the depth of an entryway in which they are to be installed. This causes problems for fabricators and suppliers of threshold and sill assemblies and for fabricators of entryway systems because a variety of designs must be made and stocked to accommodate the various types and depths of entryways. For example, a fabricator generally must stock a traditional width threshold and sill assembly as well as assemblies that are extended in width along their outside edges to accommodate different depth entryways with inswing doors. Other styles that are extended in width along their inside edges must be stocked for incorporation into differing depth entryways with outswing doors. Since entryways generally can be one of three possible standard depths, it can be seen that an array of size and style combinations generally must be fabricated and stocked to accommodate the various possibilities. Obviously, this increases manufacturing costs and complexity, complicates warehousing requirements, and requires that fabricators of entryway systems order carefully to insure that threshold and sill assemblies of the proper width are available for installation in the various depths and styles of entryways.
Thus, a need exists for a modern threshold and doorsill assembly that eliminates the need to fabricate and stock a wide variety of widths and styles of such assemblies to accommodate different wall thicknesses and corresponding entryway depths. It is to the provision of a threshold and sill assembly that addresses these and other problems and shortcomings that the present invention is primarily directed.
The present invention is an improved threshold and doorsill assembly that is easily adaptable for use in entryways having a variety of depths resulting from different possible wall thicknesses. The assembly of this invention is particularly suitable for use with exterior French and patio door systems having sliding exterior screens. However, this certainly is not a limitation of the invention, which also can be used as the threshold and sill of a conventional door.
Briefly described, the threshold and sill assembly of this invention comprises an elongated extruded aluminum body adapted to be installed at the bottom of an entryway extending continuously between the bottoms of the vertical jambs thereof. The body defines an elongated upwardly open channel configured to receive a vertically adjustable threshold cap for underlying an openable door, a panel cap for underlying and supporting a fixed door or panel, or an outswing cap and weather strip assembly for abutting and sealing against an outswing door. A sill extends outwardly and slopes downwardly from the upwardly open channel for shedding rainwater away from the entryway. The sill terminates in a forward edge forming a downturned nose with an undercut area behind the nose. An edge plate extends from beneath the undercut area to the extreme outside edge of the sill, which, in use, substantially aligns with or is just shy of the face of the brick mold that frames an entryway in which the threshold and sill assembly is installed.
The threshold and sill assembly has an initial width from its inside edge to its extreme outside edge that is appropriate for installation in an entryway of a building framed with standard 2xc3x974 framing. In other words, when installed between the jamb bottoms of standard 4 {fraction (9/16)}-inch jambs, the extreme outside edge of the edge plate substantially aligns with or is just shy of the face of the brick mold of the entryway as it should. However, the same threshold and sill assembly is easily adaptable for use with wider jambs installed in entryways of buildings framed with wider framing timbers such as, for example 2xc3x976 framing studs. For this purpose, an extender plate is provided that securely attaches to the edge plate of the assembly and extends a predetermined distance beyond the extreme outside edge of the edge plate to a new extreme outside edge, which substantially aligns with the face of the brick mold attached to the wider jambs. The extender plate overlies and snaps into place on the edge plate so that it is easily installed to adapt the threshold and sill assembly of the invention for use with wider jambs.
In certain applications such as, for example, outswing patio or French doors, a wider jamb requires that the threshold and sill assembly be extended inwardly toward the inside of a building rather than outwardly. To accommodate such applications, the present invention also includes an extruded plastic extender nose adapted to snap onto the inside edge of the threshold and sill assembly where the traditional plastic nosing strip attaches in a conventional width entryway. When so attached, the extender nose projects inwardly from the threshold and sill assembly to an inside edge that substantially aligns with the inside edge of the jambs. The extender nose is easily installed since it is designed to be snapped into place on the threshold and sill assembly, where it is securely held by barbed projections that extend into attachment slots formed in the aluminum body of the assembly.
Thus, an improved threshold and sill assembly is now provided that successfully address the problems and shortcomings of the prior art. More specifically, the assembly of this invention is easily extendable in width to accommodate a variety of jamb widths and entryway depths either by snapping an extender plate along the outside edge of the sill or an extender nose along the inside edge of the assembly as required by the installation. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows.